Albany house under renovation catches fire

Crews responded to the fire just before 11 p.m. Monday. (Source: WALB)

ALBANY, GA (WALB) -

An Albany family's home under renovation was destroyed Monday night by a fast-moving fire. Firefighters were called to the 2200 block of the Liberty Expressway just before 11 p.m. When crews arrived on scene, the house was engulfed in flames. It took firefighters just over an hour to get the fire under control.

"The house is approximately a little over 2,000 square feet and it was fully involved, so yes, it was quite a fire," said Acting Battalion Chief Bobby Spargo with the Albany Fire Department.

Officials say sixteen "bug bombs" were set off inside the house. They say anytime you use bug bombs inside a house, its important to make sure all your appliances are disconnected, like your refrigerator and stove, because these products are very flammable.

"We found glass 30 feet from the structure where the windows had blown, and we are lucky the house was under renovation and no one was there," said Investigator Sam Harris of the Albany Fire Dept.

Glenda Kayreber and Charlotte Bradfield say they had finished three-quarters of the renovations inside the home. The house had been a part of the family for more than two decades.

"It's been in the family over 20-something years, so it makes it hard," said owner Glenda Kayreber.

No one was inside of the home at the time of the fire, but the family says they had several heirlooms inside. "We were going to wait til later and get everything down," Charlotte Bradfield said.

Added Kayreber, "All our family pictures and stuff, in trunks in the attic, we don't know if they're going to be in good shape or what."